iita tanzania youth agripreneurs get kudos for promoting
TRANSCRIPT
Issue 21
Youth AgripreneursAgriculture is the future
page 1
...Continue on page 2www.youthagripreneurs.org
IITA Tanzania Youth Agripreneurs get kudos for promoting agribusiness in the country
The Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational training in Tanzania, Prof Joyce Ndalichako has expressed interest in the youth in agribusiness initiative of IITA.
Prof Ndalichako who was at the stand of the IITA Tanzania Youth Agripreneurs (ITYA) during the 5th Annual National Science, Technology and Innovation conference in Dar es Salam said she was impressed to see young graduates who are passionate about agriculture. She said the effort of the youths to create employment through agriculture was a rare step, and supported the youths by purchasing the branded High Quality Cassava Flour also
known as “MpishiMkuu”. The 5th Annual National Research Science and Innovation Technology is a national conference organized and coordinated by the Commission of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Swedish people and the National Research Foundation.
The mission of the conference was to foster linkages and create a level playing ground between academics, researchers and entrepreneurs for the socio-economic benefits and development of Tanzania.
Participants at the conference also discussed several ways and means of supporting and promoting youth
An agripreneur, Edwin (Far left) with some school children at the ITYA exhibition stand dur-ing the conference
programs, and incubations and the cluster programs to expand the generation of ideas and create links to the business, technology, and innovation especially for youths.
The conference provided an opportunity for youths to explore agricultural innovations by researchers, academics, and private sectors.
ITYA also displayed their products at their exhibition booth. Cassava products: Cassava Chinchin, Cassava strips, and cassava flour; Soy fresh milk, Soy yoghurt, and Tomatoes were on display at the conference.
ITYA’s participation at the conference is one among the institute’s mechanisms to scale up the youth program, empower and build the capacity of the youths in agriculture, and transform them from being job seekers to job creators. The new mechanism extends opportunities for ITYA team to transfer and share knowledge and experiences found within the agribusiness field.
“Through the exhibition we increased the level of awareness of our program; what we offer, what we do, and the healthy benefits of our products. It has also provided a networking opportunity for us to link with agri-business partners and increased awareness of our products and services,” said an agripreneur, Edwin Ndibalema.
IITA Abuja Youth Agripreneurs diversify into grasscutter farmingThe drive to attain wealth and self-sufficiency in meat and animal production has given room for exploration of potential sources of animal protein.
The IITA Youth Agripreneurs in Abuja in a bid to upscale their activities and make more profit have diversified into grasscutter farming. Grasscutter farming, apart from its health benefits, is a lucrative agribusiness enterprise
that has high returns on investment if carefully planned and managed.
The youths embarked on the business after a week training on grasscutter farming facilitated by a leading grass cutter farmer and the Coordinator, Abuja Grasscutter Farmers’ Cooperative and Director of Programme of Action for Health and Rural Development (PHARD) Mr Olusegun Taiwo. The youths have started with 5 grasscutters-- 1 male and
page 2www.youthagripreneurs.org
IITA Youth Agripreneurs celebrate one of our own, Evelyn Onyebuchi Ohanwusi who was appointed as the Head of the Youth in Agribusiness unit in IITA.
Evelyn Ohanwusi who before her appointment was the Head of Partnership, Resource Mobilization and Advocacy unit of IYA joined the IITA Youth Agripreneurs in 2013 after her National Youth Service Corp Scheme at the Facility Management Services unit in IITA.
Ms Ohanwusi, a graduate of Quantity Surveying from Obafemi Awolowo
Celebrating our own
IKYA creates a youth platform in agribusinessIITA Kalambo Youth Agripreneurs (IKYA) have partnered with the Development Support Program (PAD) to create a platform for disseminating profitable business models developed by the group.
PAD, a non-governmental organization in DR Congo in partnership with IKYA will offer young interested agripreneurs the opportunity of sharing knowledge, and experience on technical and financial support.
The youth group’s network started with the creation of IKYA marketing center in
Bukavu. The center provided a platfiorm for marketing and networking with other youth groups in the region.
With time, the network has expanded from the sales and marketing of cassava based products, to varieties of products like vegetables, seeds and value added products of various crops like rice, beans, soybeans, and maize.
For now, the network has 15 youth groups from two provinces-North and South Kivu with another newly registered youth group from Uganda.
The Ugandan group specializes in
supplying small processing equipment and packaging materials. With the impact and success recorded so far from the youth network, IKYA has opened a training center to give other youths the opportunity of being trained on business plan development, group management, monitoring and evaluation etc.
About 640 youths are linked through the network with more expected to join when the ENABLE Youth Program kicks-off.
University, Ile-Ife, officially assumed her new position on the 1st of October 2016. As the head of the Youth in Agribusiness Unit, Evelyn will coordinate youth activities, programs and projects and other related matters under the office.
The Youth in Agribusiness office is a new unit under the Partnership for Delivery Directorate of IITA and we are glad that one of us in IYA was given the opportunity to serve in office.
We wish Ms Ohanwusi a successful and record breaking tenure in her new office.
Evelyn Ohanwusi
... from page 1
IITA Tanzania Youth Agripreneurs (ITYA) have recorded an increase in the sale of its cassava flour. Earlier before now, the youths sold 50-70 kg weekly but recently there has been an upshot in the sales as they now sell over 250 kg per week.
The demand for cassava based products has increased as many consumers now know the health benefit of cassava based products. The ITYA cassava enterprise had been making progress in terms of maintaining and scaling up the production of value added cassava products. Currently, the cassava enterprise operates at the ITYA Cassava Processing Unit at Kwembe along
ITYA records an increase in the sale of cassava flour
Morogoro road Dar Es salaam, Tanzania, where processing and production of cassava flour is taking place. The center supports cassava production and has been expanding in the production of a new cassava products known as the cassava strips. By
the end of the year, ITYA will be adding some other products from cassava flour such as bread and cake.
Low-fat smoked catfish for sale
Are you in Abuja and environs? Do you need a fresh, smoked and low fat catfish?Contact: IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA)
C/O International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA),
Near Old Water Board, behind Government Secondary School, Phase 4, Kubwa, Abuja.
0705-788-2026
0703-313-9289
4 females with the hope of expanding the business over time. “We saw the need for healthy meat production since grasscutters are rich in protein content, low in cholesterol, and are profitable. Furthermore, grasscutters are very prolific. On the average, they give birth to
5-9 offsprings which means a family of 4 females can give rise to 20 offsprings. So it’s the profitability that really propelled us to go into it, and we have identified our market through the help of the marketing unit,’’ said Victoria Okpachu, head of the group’s livestock unit.
page 3www.youthagripreneurs.org
Moving OnA member of the IITA Youth Agripreneurs in Kalambo, Janvier Mushagalusa, has been awarded a scholarship by the CUD ARES scholarships board in Belgium. Mr Mushagalusa will be proceeding to the University of Liege (ULG) to study Aquatic Resources and Aquaculture Management for his Masters’ degree.
Mr Mushagalusa who was a member of the Fishery and Livestock unit of the group in Kalambo joined IYA in 2014 after obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Crop Production from the Evangelical University in Africa (UEA).
He was part of the team responsible for revamping and stocking about 50 abandoned ponds in Lwiro and Nyakabera areas of South Kivu province in DR Congo. He also facilitated lots of trainings on fish farming and management.
Writers/Contributors: Michael Nathaniel, Lamidi Funmilola, Adefioye Adedayo, Adenmosun Adetola
Layout/design: Adefioye Adedayo and Adenmosun AdetolaThis newsletter is produced by IITA Youth Agripreneurs in Ibadan, the IITA Kalambo Youth Agripreneurs (IKYA) ,Uganda Youth Agripreneurs (UYA) and the GreenWealth Agripreneurs
Editors: Godwin Atser ([email protected]); and Osunde Timilehin ([email protected])
Janvier Mushagalusa
Evelyn Ohanwusi presenting the youth in agribusiness strategy to participants during the P4D week
Beckie Nakabuggo giving an update on the activities of the IYA group in Uganda.